Resonator attachment for banjos and the like



Nov. 3, 192 5- F.R.L.BERGE RESONATOR ATTACHMENT FOR BANJOS AND THE LIKE Filed June 21, 1924 MW L w L 5 k F mm 3 My i m Patented Nov. 3,

UNITED STATES FRANS R. L. BER-GE, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

RESONATOR ATTACHMENT FOR BANJOS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 2 1924. Serial No. 721,560.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Fnans R. L. BERGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resonator Attachments for Banjos and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a resonator attachment for banjos and the like and is designed primarily as an improvement upon the form of resonator disclosed in Letters Patent #1,t61,596, granted to me July 10, 1923, and not only embodies the objects and advantages as set forth in the Letters Patent aforesaid, but has for its further object to provide an attachment of such class, ina manner as hereinafter set forth, with a pair of pressure exerting elements in the form of segmental plates whereby an increased bearing surface is provided between said elements and the spanner member to provide for a firm seating throughout of 'said'elements against a head to overcome any slack in the latter.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set.

forth, a resonator attachment for banjos and the like for reinforcing the head of the instrument and giving it more life, to act as a strain device for the head for increasing or decreasing the volume of sound at the will of the player, to improve the tone, overcoming slack in the head, simple in construc tion and arrangement, strong, durable, thoroughly efiicient and convenient in its use, readily installed with respect to the head of the instrument, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding throughout the several views Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, in plan, of a banjo showing the adaptation therewith of a resonator. attachment in accordance with this invention, 7

parts Figure 2 is a top plan view of the spanner member.

Figure 3 is a'top plan view of one of the pressure exerting elements.

Figure at is a longitudinal sectional view of the resonator as applied to the head of the banjo.

The adaptation of the resonator attachment is illustrated by way of example, in connection with a fretted instrument of the banjo type and such instrument comprises a rim 1, over which is stretched a head 2, adjustably secured in position by bracket screws 3. dicated at a and which abuts against the outer face of the rim 1. Arranged within the rim 1, as well as extending diametrically thereof, is a dowel or stick 5. The rim 1, neck 4: and dowel 5 are rigidly connected together. The strings of the instrument are indicated at 5, extend over a supporting bridge therefor, as indicated at 6, and are connected to a tail piece 7 The foregoing is the usual construction of instruments of this class and is well understood by those skilled in the art.

A resonator attachment, in accordance with this invention, is interposed between the stick 5 and the inner face of the head 2, and said attachment includes a spanner member referred to generally by the reference character 8 and constructed from a thin flat strip of wood, preferably of maple, and which may be varnished, shellacked or finished in any desired manner.

The member 8 consists of a pair of oppositely extending sector-shaped heads 9 and 10 having the outer portion thereof of grea er thickness than the inner portion, thereby providing a transverse shoulder 11 on the upper face of the head. The thin portion of each of the heads is indicated at 12, and said heads 9 and 10 are connected together by a rectilinear shaped neck 13. The neck 13 is of the same thickness as the thin portion 12 of each of the heads.

Secured to thevupper face of the thin portion 12 of each head, a substantial distance from the shoulder 11, is a transversely extending bridge member 14; of less height than the height of the shoulder 11. Secured to the thin portion 12 of each of the heads, between the bridge member 14 and shoul der 11, is .a transversely extending row of spaced aligned headed studs 15,- aroundeaeh of which is threaded portions of the length The neck of the instrument is inof a fine wire 16. One end of the wire 16 is fixedly secured to one of the outer studs of each of said rows of studs. The wire 16 extends lengthwise with respect to the member 8 and is mounted on the bridge members 14. The upper face of the thick portion of each of the heads is flat and plane throughout, segmental in contour and provides a large bearing surface for the member 8 when the latter is arranged in operative relation with respectto the pressure exerting elements to be presently referred to.

The inner face of the neck 13 of the member 8, has arranged therein a pair of counter-sunk circular metallic plates 17 of small diameter which provide abutments for a pair of adjusting screws 18 which have threaded engagement with and extend through a circular abutment plate 19, which is mounted upon the dowel or stick 5.

The pressure exerting elements whichbear against the head 2'wl1en the attachment is set up in operative position, areindicated generally by the reference characters 20 and 21. Two of theseelements are employed and are oppositely disposed with respect to each other. riach ofsaid elements is constructed from a wooden plate, preferably of maple ofsegmental. contour. The; upper face of each of said elements is cut away to pro vide the marginal portion thereof with an tip-standing semi-circular rib 22, which bears against the inner face of the head 2 when the element is in operative position .7 Each of the pressure exerting. elements has secured to its upper face a pair of curved rows of headed studs, and the studs of one row are. indicated at 23 and those of thevother row at 2&. The studs are of less.

- more provided'with a length of fine wire 25,

having the ends thereof secured to theouter studs ofthe row 'of studs 241. The wire 25 is strung across the upper face of the element and connected around the studs 23 and 2%. The rib 22 is of substantial width and the upper face thereof, as indicated at 26,

is flat and plane throughout.

The opposltely disposed pressureexertiug elements are designed to -be mounted against theinner face ,of the, head 2 and are so 130- sitioned as to avoid extending across the space between the bridge-6 and the tail piece;

7 which wouldotherwise operate to dampen. or mute the toneof the instrument instead of increasing the tone volume for which purpose theattachment is intended.

or The studs 15, 'lllnfCOnllflclilOll with, the

:neck -13 of the.

w e .souconst ructed .as to maintain the wire 25 in spaced i-eianonw'mth s n thereof.

respect to the upper face of the pressure exerting elements.

The inner face of each of the pressure exerting elements is flat and plane throughout and provides a large bearing surface for the upper face of the thickportion of each of the heads 9 and 10.

In applying the attachment, the elements 20 and 21 are arranged whereby the upper faces of the ribs 22 will be positioned against the inner face of the head 2 on opposite sides of the plane occupied by the strings 5.

The member 8 is then disposed diametrically with respect to the head 2, so that the upper faces of the thick portions of the heads 9 and 10 will bear against the inner faces of the elements 20 and 21. The member 8 spans the spaceformed between the pressure exerting elements 20 and 21. When the elements 20-and 21 and member 8 are set up in the manner as stated, the wire carrying faces thereof oppose the inner face of the head 2. The abutment member 19 is then mounted on the dowel or stick 5 and opposes the neck 13 of the member 8. The screws 18 are then adjusted to engage the plate 17 so that the heads 9 and 10 of the member 8 will bear tightly against the inner faces of the elements 20 and 21 and which will cause the ribs 22 to contact throughout their length against the head 2, thereby taking up any slack in the head, as well as to absorb any vibrations thereof. The vibrations im parted to the elements 20 and 21 are transmittedtherethrough to the member 8, as well as to the wires 16 and 25, thereby increasing or decreasing the volume of sound.

It is obvious that by tightening or loosening the screws 18, they will operate to force the elements 20 and 21 against the head 2 or to loosen said elements in relation thereto at the will of the operator, thereby increasing or' decreasing the volume of sounds The wire 16 performs the double function of strengthening the tone of the instrument, as well asbreaking up echoes in the same manner as acoustic wires in large halls and buildings.

. The attachment is capable of being positioned with respect to the instrument, as

well as being adjusted independently ofthe l'fitaining and adjusting elements for the he 'd of the instrument, for intensifying and. modifying the tone, as well as acting in the same manner as acoustic wires, that is the breakingup of echoes, and that furthermore the attachment can be secured to and removedufrom the instrument without alterin any way changing the parts The setting up of the pressure exerting elements in tlic'lform of a segmental plate provides large bcaringdsurfaces forthe ;se'gmental upper faces of 'tlleth'ick'porti'ons of the heads 9 and 10, therebyprovrdingfor a firm seating between the spanner member and the pressure exerting elements when pressure is applied to the spanner member and which results in a uniform seating of the ribs 22 against the inner face of the head 2.

It is thought that the many advantages of a resonator attachment, in accordance with this invention, for a fretted instrument, can be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet changes in the details of construction can be had which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

\Vhat I claim is:

A resonator attachment for the heads of banjos and the like comprising a pair of segmental, pressure exerting plates each having the marginal portion of its upper face provided throughout with an instrument head bearing rib of the same height throughout, a wire strung over and spaced throughout from said upper face of each plate between the rib thereof and further spaced from the head by said rib, a. spanner formed with a pair of oppositely extending sector shaped heads each having a segmental outer portion of greater thickness than the inner portion of the head, thereby providing a shoulder intermediate of each head, a wire strung over and spaced throughout from the upper face of the spanner between said shoulders, said outer portions seating against and spacing the wire on the spanner from the lower face of said plates, and means for varying the pressure between the spannor and said plates.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

FRANS R. L. BERGE. 

